As one popular poker saying goes, "Poker is a game that takes minutes to learn, but a lifetime to master." At the beginning of your poker career a steep learning curve exists. You will absorb a lot of information that will help you get a basic understanding of the game. As the game advances it turns into a funnel, where new information only takes you so far. Soon you start looking for small edges to push with over hundreds of thousands of hands.  Adding these tips to your poker playbook should get your started on the right track.

 
1. Play Premium Holdings Early On

Unless you have the card reading ability of the game's best, stick to premium holdings as starting hands. Although any hand can win, certain hands win more often than others. Likewise, certain hands can make your hand into the dreaded "second best" hand and lose you a lot of money. Playing premium hands will certainly give you a tight table image - let your opponents try to figure out just which premium holding you have.

2. Play Straight Forward

Although certain situations may call for a bluff, they are very rare. Showings of popular poker events like the WSOP showcase some of the games greatest bluffs - this is to make the game exciting for television. This type of play doesn't represent the majority of hands in poker. The editing of the WSOP, trims the event down to a slotted television time and creates excitement for viewers. Anyone who has played a live poker tournament can attest to this. It is much better to play your cards when beginning at poker, until you better understand the concept of bluffing.

3. Develop Card Reading Ability

What your opponent is holding is more important than what you have. Laying down the second best hand is arguably the most important skill in poker. Likewise, having an good idea of your opponents holdings gives you an idea of what to do - should you fold, raise, value-bet, call or shove all in? Superior card reading ability is one main characteristic that separates pro players from amateur players.

4. Play Against Weak Competition

This rule is especially important for cash games. Playing against opponents at your skill level or below is critical. If you are the 10th best player in the world, playing against the top 9 players in the world you will lose. You usually win money from your opponents mistakes, rather than your brilliance.  Try to play against weak opponents.

5. Take Advantage of Position

Position is nearly as important as your cards the higher you advance in poker. As covered in, "The Strategic Consequences of Table Position" late positions at the table are more profitable than early positions. Being in late positions like the button or cutoff give you a chance to see what players ahead of you are doing. This creates a small edge that can be utilized long term.

6. Avoid Distractions at the Table

Although you may think its fun to play poker online while watching television, it may not be the best thing for your bankroll. Any distractions can cost your money. Although you may not be in a hand, your opponents always are. Picking up small tendencies or even "tells" at the table can give you an edge. Study your opponents - betting patterns, the time it takes them to act, their good and bad habits. Poker is no different than any other sport. You attack weaknesses or even weak players. It was stated best in the movie Rounders, "If you don't know who the sucker is within 30 minutes of sitting down at the table, you are the sucker. "

7. Play Within Your Means

There are two main reasons why it is never a good idea to start playing at higher end limits. First off, players at higher stakes are generally better players. This is because most players start at low limits and move up to higher limits as their talent and bankroll levels grow. Secondly, to utilize proper bankroll management you should never play at any one table with more than 5% of your bankroll. New players are generally losing players because they don't understand higher end strategy. Losing at lower stakes games can provide "cheap lessons" for long term improvement. This concept is practical to everyday life. You have to undergo training for nearly every job before you get to the real thing. Preparation and experience give you the insight necessary to successfully complete the job on a daily basis.

8. Be A Stingy Investor

Certain situations arise where you need to try to draw out to win the pot. For example, two over-cards with a flush draw in texas holdem is usually even money. Open ended straight flush draws are better than even money. Gutshot straight draws with heavy implied odds can also be practical. Drawing or
"fishing" is mainly a technique used by losing long term players. Although you may hit your flush card one in three times, the other two times you will lose. Long term flush draw chasing is a losing proposition. This is especially true if your opponent knows how to properly make you pay for your draws. Be a stingy card cashers - only cash draws with heavy implied/ pot odds.

9. Suited or Un-suited - Does it matter?

The popular chat type, "....but it was suited" is one of the best tells of an inexperienced player. Over-valuing suited cards is a major mistake among beginning players. The odds of hitting a flush are very rare, so rare that it makes calling with suited cards unwarranted. Suited cards only have a 1-2% advantage over non-suited holdings. Learn to fold ace rag suited and other non premium suited holdings.

10. Know The Game

Know the rules of every game that you intend to play. If you are unsure of the rules, you can study them in books or you can play on "play chip" tables. There is no possible way for you to profit without knowing the rules. Different rules apply to different games - this is especially true when playing live poker as compared to online poker. Unique rules may apply to every casino or online poker room. Not knowing the rules of the game you are playing in could cost you a ton of money. The most common rules mistakes occur when jumping from Texas Holdem to Omaha. 

11. Multi tabling vs Single Table Play

With the invention of online poker, it is now possible to play more than one table at a time. This means you can play more than one hand at a time. Some poker sites let players play up to 12 tables or more simultaneously. Although you can increase your hourly profit, you can also drive yourself crazy and cloud good poker judgment if you aren't careful. This article explains the advantages and disadvantages of playing more than one table at a time.

12. Play for the Long Term

Although strings of good fortune or "luck" come and go, winning players are made in tens of thousands of hands. Focus on "getting the best of it" each time you play. Stick to quality card play and avoid chasing draws and miracle cards. Remember that poker is a game of variance and long term probability. Try to work on constant improvement, without being results oriented. If you are making correct decisions over the long term, the results will take care of themselves.

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